Fall Protection

PPT-SM-FP 2015 2

Falling is no joke.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly

570 fatal work injuries that occurred in 2012 resulted

from workers falling to a lower level.

45% of injuries involved falls of 20 ft or less

. . .

PPT-SM-FP 2015 3

Guy’s week is about to fall out of control.

Hopefully, he will learn from his mistakes and come

to understand that wearing fall protection equipment while working at heights could

save your life.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 4

Guy is working on the side of an oil derrick. He decides to take off his full body harness to eat a sandwich when…

PPT-SM-FP 2015 5

…he loses his balance and falls to the ground.

*SLIP*

PPT-SM-FP 2015 6

Never work at heights unless trained to do

so. Workers should be aware of fall hazards and wear fall protection when required.

Guy should have never removed his full body harness while he was still at a height

above 4 ft from the lower level.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 7

Full body harnesses are made up of

straps that distribute the force of a fall, making the wearer less likely to sustain internal injuries.

Body harness straps must be tight, but not enough

to restrict motion.

Beware of genital entrapment!

PPT-SM-FP 2015 8

The attachment point of a full body

harness must be located in the center of the back

and near shoulder level.

Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions when in doubt.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 9

Guy, what should you always do when

working at heights?

PPT-SM-FP 2015 10

Workers must wear personal fall arrest systems when working at heights.

Full Body Harness

Lanyard

Tie-off Point

Fall Brake

PPT-SM-FP 2015 11

The type of system used should be

appropriate for your work environment.

Review a copy of your company’s fall protection plan and

always report broken or

missing guardrails.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 12

Personal fall arrest systems must be rigged so that

workers cannot fall 6 ft and contact a lower

level.

Fall protection equipment must be worn at a

height of:

4 ft or above in general industry

6 ft or above in construction industry

PPT-SM-FP 2015 13

Guy is doing some

repairs to the side of a dam. In a rush to start the job,

he doesn’t inspect his

fall protection equipment when…

PPT-SM-FP 2015 14

A partially torn and

weakened lanyardsends Guy falling to the

ground.

*SNAP*

PPT-SM-FP 2015 15

Guy, what are we supposed

to do before wearing fall

protection?

PPT-SM-FP 2015 16

That’s right, Guy!

All parts of a fall arrest system must be inspected prior to each use and

on a routine basis – preferably monthly.

Inspect fall arrest systems for:

Mildew

Wear Cuts

Tears

Holes Chemical damage

UV damage

Damaged or corroded hardware

PPT-SM-FP 2015 17

Damaged, modified, or defective equipment must be removed from service,

and repaired or destroyed.

Corroded CarabinerWorn Harness Rusted Buckle Degraded Sling

PPT-SM-FP 2015 18

Lanyards connect the anchor to the harness.

They are attached to the back of full body harnesses and

must be:

Interconnected using double

locking hooks.

Connected to a properly designed D-ring.

1.

2.

Do not shorten lanyards by tying knots in them or

modify them with spare cable or rope.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 19

Many companies require the use of double lanyards so that workers are anchored at all

times.

This is referred to as “100% tie-off.”

PPT-SM-FP 2015 20

Guy is doing a little painting work on the

side of a building. Assuming he already

had a good grip, he decides to use a weak scaffold guardrail as a tie-off

point, when…

PPT-SM-FP 2015 21

The guardrail breaks and Guy falls to the ground.

It is estimated that 80% of all fall protection equipment

errors are because of a

poor choice for a tie-off point or anchorage.

*WOOPSIE*

PPT-SM-FP 2015 22

Tie-off points – or anchor points – should be located

as above and behind you as possible.

Avoid tie-offs where a line passes over or around

rough or sharp surfaces. This can reduce

strength drastically.

Avoid using process piping, hand railings, or cable trays as tie-off

points unless authorized.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 23

Wear fall protection if on a working platform or

if immediate danger is below.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 24

Occasionally, it is necessary for workers to be lifted

and lowered by air hoist or hydraulic winch.

Riders must wear a full body harness that meets

regulations, except in the case of

personnel baskets.

Let’s see if Guy can manage to break a

fall on his last assignmentof the

day.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 25

Guy and a coworkerare installing metal sheets on a building when...

PPT-SM-FP 2015 26

Guy, being aware, realizes

his coworker is not latched to

a fall brake.

He retrieves the necessary

equipment.

*DING*

PPT-SM-FP 2015 27

Good Thinking, Guy!

PPT-SM-FP 2015 28

Fall brakes control deceleration during a

fall.

Two types include:

Webbing tear-aways

Retractable inertial

PPT-SM-FP 2015 29

Fall arrest equipment subjected to the force of a

fall must be:

Removed from service

Repaired

Inspected

OR

Destroyed

The method of action you take will depend on the equipment

type.

PPT-SM-FP 2015 30

Doing this will help you and your

coworkers get back to what matters most.

Stay safe!

PPT-SM-FP 2015 31